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December 27, 2012

Law enforcement officials in Russia's turbulent North Caucasus region say the deputy mufti of the North Ossetia-Alania Republic has been shot and killed.

Irbek Dudarov was reported shot dead late on December 26 in his car around the city of Vladikavkaz.

It was not immediately clear who carried out the attack.

It is reported to be the seventh attack targeting Islamic leaders in Russia so far this year.

Five people have been killed in such attacks in Daghestan.

Elsewhere in the North Caucasus, Russia's National Antiterrorist Committee said a militant leader and two associates were shot and killed by police in the Kabardino-Balkaria republic on December 26.

The slain militant leader was identified as Alim Lampezhev, who has been on Russia's federal wanted list for criminal activity since 2010.